CrossFit is hard. For the people who were competitive athletes all of their lives and are used to picking up skills quickly, CrossFit is hard. For the people who’ve never exercised before, CrossFit is hard. For everyone in between and beyond, CrossFit is hard.

If you’re anything like me, you burst out of the gates after Foundations raring to go, wanting to conquer the clean and jerk, or the pull-up, or the handstand push-up within your first couple weeks of CrossFit. Then a few classes pass and you start to wonder why you’re not picking up on it, and when you’re going to figure it out. You’re frustrated and can’t understand why it’s taking longer than you thought.

CrossFit is hard. This is different than anything you’ve ever done before. It is harder than it looks on YouTube, on paper, on a whiteboard.

The first thing you need to accept, then, is this: You start where you start.

It’s as simple as that.

CrossFit is not just about becoming fitter and healthier - it is a journey to becoming the best version of you.

Where you start that journey is completely unique to you, and the most useful thing you can do is really understand where that starting point is. Get a good baseline understanding of your skills - those that you already have, those that seem to come naturally and those that will take work. Notice how you feel when you stand in front of the barbell as the clock ticks down from 3 seconds. Or after you finish a WOD and collapse on the floor, staring at the ceiling, wondering if you will ever breathe normally again.

But really take stock of how you feel when you have 30 push-ups up left, or another 400 meters, or another 9 deadlifts. This is where it counts. Because in those moments, when the pain is white hot and the negative self-talk is deafening, let's face it: sometimes you just want to quit. You want to throw the bar down, lay on the floor, then walk out the door, get in the car and drive away. Because it is hard. We all know that it is easier to quit. But the temporary relief is fleeting, and the reward for finishing is much greater.

Because each time you stick with it, gut it out and finish it, you grow a little bit more.

And that is the beauty of CrossFit. There is no limit to how much you can improve. And what matters are the little improvements you make over time. Even the best, most competitive CrossFit Games athletes in the world have improvements to make. It is a journey for everyone.

If you haven’t already, understand your starting point for your journey - and accept it. As Mike always says, “check your ego at the door.” It is easy to go down the path of thinking "I should be doing X already. " Instead, set the right expectations for yourself. Be patient, and focus on making little improvements every time you walk in the door. Those little improvements will help you to achieve the bigger goals you will set for yourself along the way.